Can an Authoritarian Leadership Style Be Appropriate in American Companies Currently? - Essay Sample

Introduction

Authoritarian leadership is a leadership style where the leader has control over all decisions and consider little or no input from group members (Kohler, 2015). The power is centered on the leader dictates all the procedures and methods (Schein, 2010). It discourages creativity and thinking out of the box since followers are required to adhere to the directions of the leader strictly (Kohler, 2015). Autocratic leaders rarely trust employees with important tasks and decisions. The style is suitable where strong leadership is required. For instance, when handling unskilled employees, directive leadership is appropriate. It is also associated with a clear chain of command and quick decision making (Schein, 2010). Although autocratic leadership is not appropriate in most American companies currently, it is necessary is some situations which every company, including American companies, may face.

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The leadership style adopted in an organization is influenced by culture. One of the cultural dimensions influencing leadership styles is the power distance. According to Hofstede, power distance refers to the extent to which less powerful members of the organization accept that power is unequally distributed (as cited in Kohler, 2015). In countries with a high power distance, employees accept the distribution of power and strictly obey the orders from the leaders. Managers do not involve employees' input in critical decisions (Adekola & Sergi, 2007). The US has one of the lowest power distance indices. This implies that employees want to get involved in certain decisions. They are motivated when the leader is readily accessible unlike employees in cultures where power distance in high. The US is a strong democracy, and this influences the management style in many US companies. Thus, an autocratic leadership style is not suitable for American companies due to the low power distance index. Autocratic styles in common in countries where the power distance is high (Adekola & Sergi, 2007). Most American employees are demoralized by authoritarian leadership actions.

Besides, there is a strong culture of activism on employee rights in the United States. Most American employees want to get involved in decisions affecting their interests such as pay, work schedule, among other decisions. Employees in several corporations have downed their tools to protest company decisions. For instance, 36,000 Verizon employees went on strike in 2016 due to a contract dispute with the company (Scheiber & Chen, 2016). The areas of contention were pay and work schedules. In June 2018, employees of United Parcel Services voted to authorize the union to call for a strike if negotiations on pay and work schedules stall. Starbucks and other companies have also faced issues with employee work schedules. These examples illustrate that American employees want to get involved in work issues including decisions on work schedules, company restructuring, among others. It would be difficult for an autocratic leader to impose decisions on American workers.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the autocratic style of leadership is not ideal for most American companies. American employees demand to be involved in decisions affecting their interests due to the low power distance and the strong culture of activism. However, some situations may require authoritarianism to ensure that the company is not distracted from its vision. For instance, Steve Jobs is said to have ruled with an iron fist, yet he built Apple which has become the world's most valuable company. Other CEOs that had some aspects of autocracy in their leadership include Walt Disney, and Henry Ford, among others. Employees should not be involved in all decisions as this may jeopardize the company's vision. Besides, when dealing with unskilled or semi-skilled employees, directive leadership is the most favorable. Thus, autocratic leadership can be used in American companies, but in limited situations.

References

Adekola, A., & Sergi, B. (2007). Global business management: A Cross-cultural Perspective. Burlington (Vt.): Ashgate.

Kohler, R. (2015). Optimization of leadership style. Springer.

Scheiber, N., & Chen, B. (2016). In Verizon Strike, Blue-Collar Stress Hits the Sidewalks. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/14/business/verizon-workers-strike.html

Schein, E. (2010). Organizational culture and leadership (4th ed.). John Wiley & Sons.